Every-Thing Sports
Jermaine Every: What is your go-to food for a big sporting event?
Apr 18, 2018, 5:37 am
Pizza is a go-to for many of Houston's sports talk hosts. CultureMap Houston
“Big time game? Big time food.”
The Final Four is upon us! The Houston Astros are set to defend their World Series title! The Houston Rockets have all but secured the No. 1 overall seed in the NBA playoffs! It’s a great time to be a sports fan. Cinderellas, underdogs, titans of sport, up and comers alike are all vying for your attention on some of sports’ grandest stages.
As you settle in to watch a big game, what do you have in front of you to eat? This is something that can be a full-blown discussion/argument, or as easy as picking up/cooking your go-to meal. I was hanging around the palatial Gow Media offices waiting to record The Sideline podcast (Craig Koshkin and I record it weekly), and as my randomness goes, that question popped into my head.
As I started discussing it with some of the people around the office and studios, I figured the public would like to know what some of their favorite personalities like to eat when they settled into their favorite spots to watch their teams play or any big game. Here’s what I found out (presented in order of who was around and who was asked/responded first so don’t get butt-hurt or jump to conclusions):
Personality | Food |
Tyler Scott | Wings, nachos, or barbeque |
Jong Lee | Pizza |
Fred Faour | Before latest doctor visits: pizza and wings After latest doctor visits: celery and hummus |
A.J. Hoffman | Wings |
Craig Koshkin | Wings or barbeque |
Lance Zierlein | Shawarma because it’s close |
Brandon Strange | Pizza |
Jose Partida | Pizza |
Raheel Ramzanali | Chicken pesto pizza from New York Pizzeria |
Del Olaleye | His team plays: nothing, too nervous Any other team plays: wings |
John Granato | Wings and fries |
Joel Blank | Pizza, or fajitas, or queso and chips, etc |
Barry Laminack | Nachos |
Nick Sharara | Wings, but fajitas are a close second |
Jermaine Every (me) | Tacos, wings, pizza, chips and dip |
Couple things you may deduce from looking at this chart: 1) most of us can’t pick just one thing; 2) pizza and wings dominated the list; and 3) some of us have a specific reason why or why not. Other takeaways I noticed were: Raheel is a man of very specific taste; Lance went the convenient route; Del’s choice is based on mood; Fred has medical reasons; and I literally try to eat all of those things at once because I’m a fat ass until my wife gives me “the look” (married couples know what I’m talking about).
This was a fun article to write. I hope to do a follow-up soon and get the opinions of some of the folks behind the scenes, and maybe even some of you guys. So if you’re reading this and have a go-to food/s, hit me on Twitter, Instagram, or FaceBook and give me your suggestions. You never know. You may end up in a future article!
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NFL insiders hint at eye-opening future for Houston Texans offense
Dec 7, 2024, 2:38 pm
C.J. Stroud faced criticism in Houston's last few games as the Texans hit a rough patch after losing just two of their first eight games.
But the second-year quarterback remained confident and his strong performance last Sunday helped the Texans (8-5) to a 23-20 win over the Jaguars to enter their bye with a two-game lead atop the AFC South.
“When he is leading and playing the way he is playing, our entire team feeds off of him,” coach DeMeco Ryans said. “I am excited for his second year. I think he is showing a ton of growth, he is in a really great spot for us physically, mentally. I really love where he is and I am excited to see how he comes back after the break.”
Stroud threw for 242 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville to leave him ranked fourth in the NFL with 3,117 yards passing this season. That game came after he threw two interceptions in a 32-27 loss to Tennessee a week before for the team’s third loss in four games.
Those two interceptions brought his season total to nine, which are four more than he threw in 15 games a rookie. But the Texans aren’t worried about that statistic and believe he has grown in his second year.
“He’s made a lot of progress,” general manager Nick Caserio said. “There are some plays, like all of our players, that we probably wish he could have back, but happy he’s our quarterback, happy with what he brings to the table. ... Wouldn’t want anyone else leading this team.”
The Texans are in position to win their division for a second straight season despite dealing with several significant injuries on offense. Running back Joe Mixon missed three games early with an ankle injury and leading receiver Nico Collins was sidelined for five games with a hamstring injury.
They also lost four-time Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs for the season when tore an ACL in Week 8.
Mixon leads the team with 887 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns and has added four touchdown receptions. His work in his first season in Houston after a trade from Cincinnati has helped the team deal with those significant injuries to the receiving corps.
Mixon ranks third in the NFL by averaging 88.7 yards rushing a game and has had at least 100 yards rushing in seven games.
Stroud has continually raved about Mixon’s contributions on and off the field.
“He’s a servant, a helper,” Stroud said. “That’s ultimately what I want to be as well. Who can I serve and how can I help? That’s ultimately what the game of football is.”
While Mixon has been the team’s most important new acquisition on offense, Danielle Hunter has been Houston’s new defensive star. The defensive end spent his first eight seasons in Minnesota before joining the Texans this year.
He has helped Houston lead the NFL with 84 tackles for loss after piling up 15 this season, which is tied for third most in the league. He also leads the Texans with 10½ sacks to help them rank second with 42.
Hunter been a great addition to a team that already had defensive end Will Anderson Jr., last year’s AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. Anderson ranks second to Hunter on the team with 13 tackles for loss and 9½ sacks.
Ryans said this week’s break is much needed for a team that opened the preseason on Aug. 1 in the Hall of Fame game.
“It’s here and we’re going to take advantage of it,” he said. “We’ve been going at it for a long time.”
The Texans need to recharge this week with a brutal stretch of three games in 10 days when they return from their bye. Houston hosts Miami on Dec. 15 before a trip to Kansas City on Dec. 21 and a visit from the Ravens on Christmas Day.
“It’s Christmas and all that, but we can’t worry about that. All we can do is focus on Miami,” Caserio said. “And then when we get through the Miami game, then we kind of turn the page to the next. ... We’re either going to earn it or we’re not. Not to oversimplify it, but that’s the truth.”
The Texans will play those game without starting linebacker Azeez Al-Shaair after he received a three-game suspension for his violent hit to the head of Jacksonville’s Trevor Lawrence, which led to a concussion.
Al-Shaair will be eligible to return for Houston’s regular-season finale against Tennessee.